The main problem of Syrskyi is the lack of a clear strategy for victory in the war with Russia - FT

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, has no idea how exactly he intends to win. Syrskyi's theory of victory is simply to hold out as long as possible and mobilize more people. This is reported by Financial Times citing sources, reports UNN.

Details

As the publication writes, the dismissal of the popular defense minister who promoted reforms exposed destructive disagreements over Ukraine's military strategy and the Armed Forces' readiness to address its shortcomings precisely at a time when the course of the war against Russia had tilted in Ukraine's favor.

This week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Mykhailo Fedorov, who had been in office for only six months. This unexpected move sparked protests in Kyiv and other cities on Thursday and Friday and plunged the government into chaos. The 35-year-old Defense Minister Fedorov, credited with accelerating Ukraine's digital transformation and the development of the drone industry, had been in conflict for several months with the Commander-in-Chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, over how Ukraine should wage the war

During a press conference, Fedorov accused Syrskyi of blocking the Ministry of Defense's initiatives, stating that "instead of cooperating to find new ways to defeat Russia, Syrskyi 'figured out how to split the country'."

In response, thousands of Ukrainians protested outside the Presidential Office, accusing Zelenskyy of removing a minister who helped Ukraine move forward through innovation and the expansion of drone production and their use in combat. The protests continued on Friday, causing chaos in the government.

Sources of the publication noted that the conflict reflects fundamentally different views on whether victory depends on technological transformation and a more efficient military system, or on continuing the fight through endurance and mobilization.

Kyiv's campaign using drones against Russian energy infrastructure and "shadow fleet" tankers in the Black and Azov Seas provoked the worst fuel crisis in Russia in decades, while medium-range drones targeting Russian logistics in occupied Ukrainian territory helped slow Moscow's ground offensive, turning it into a costly and gradual advance.

However, the public rift among Ukraine's top military leadership during the war has called into question Kyiv's ability to maintain its successes

Fedorov's main argument for change was that the Ukrainian armed forces must adapt more quickly to combat conditions increasingly defined by drones, robotics, and rapid technological progress.

He praised Syrskyi for leading the defense of Kyiv in 2022 and the subsequent counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Kherson. However, he argued that since then, the situation on the battlefield has changed dramatically and rapidly, and Syrskyi has not kept up with these changes.

According to one senior Ukrainian defense official, Fedorov embodied a model of warfare built on technological innovation, wider use of drones and robots, and more agile armed forces capable of adapting to changing battlefield conditions.

In contrast, Syrskyi, in this official's view, failed to formulate an equally compelling concept of how Ukraine could ultimately achieve victory.

One problem is that Syrskyi has no idea how exactly he intends to win. Syrskyi's theory of victory is simply to hold out as long as possible and mobilize more people

Several people familiar with the situation told the FT that Fedorov blocked numerous attempts to steer lucrative procurement contracts toward favored companies, which led to his conflict with influential figures in Ukraine's political and defense establishment — as well as with Syrskyi.

Recall

The decision of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to reappoint Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Defense caused outrage among some Ukrainian military personnel and veterans.

The government appointed Yevhen Khmara as Acting Minister of Defense and Andrii Sybiha as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.